Despite efforts in payment reform towards Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) and Diagnosis Intervention Packet (DIP) payment, Single Disease Payment (SDP) remains prominent among district hospitals in China. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of SDP in a district hospital in Fujian, China.
The SDP calculates the total cost for treating a specific disease, ignoring comorbidities and complications, and sets a standard payment rate. Findings show that SDP payment significantly decreased the medical expenses. In addition, it enhances medical quality as well as satisfactions among patients and staffs. However, cost structure optimization and underutilization of medical resources remain persisting challenges.